Ideology and perception of human nature

1. Both Plato and Socrates were prominent authors whose works influenced and shaped ancient Greece’s ideology and perception of human nature. A common topic of interest for both authors was the analysis of the root of human evil, which produces warfare, violence, and political unrest. According to Plato, “When come wars, and fighting, and factions, if not from the body and the body’s desires? Wars are caused by the love of money, and money has to be acquired for the sake and in the service of the body… the body is always breaking in on us, causing turmoil and confusion in our inquiries, and so upsetting us that we are prevented from seeing the truth” (Plato Excerpt B). Plato perceived warfare and political rest as an overflow of man’s bodily desires and selfish ambitions that inevitably impedes us to search after worldly pleasures, including power and wealth. Similarly, Thucydides claimed that “the cause of all these evils was love of power due to ambition and greed, which led to rivalries from which party splitting sprung” (Thucydides Excerpt B). While analyzing the causes of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides came to the conclusion that man’s inherently evil nature brings about rebellion against the law and the pursuit of uncontrolled passions. Despite this commonality, Plato and Thucydides differ in the overall focus on their work. Thucydides primarily centered his work around the Peloponnesian War and the prevention of future occurrences, outlining cold hard facts that explained the political and social implications of the war. For example, Thucydides commented on the violence of the war, explaining that “this is not revolt-revolt implies oppression; it is deliberate and wanton aggression; an attempt to ruin us by siding without bitterest enemies; a worse offense than a war undertaken on their own account on the acquisition of power” (Thucydides Excerpt A). Thucydides poured into his research on the Peloponnesian War, exploring the major personalities on each side of the conflict and examining the political origins of the clash between Sparta and Athens as his main point of focus throughout literature. On the other hand, Plato maintained a broader, more holistic focus on human nature and our relationship with reality. In the Allegory of the Cave, Plato illustrates his perception of human nature by describing a shadow of appearances that hides the world of eternal nonmaterial realities beyond. The soul is imprisoned in the body, and must be broken free into the ideal Form. He explains how men who understand the true reality of the world must take on the responsibility of bringing others into awareness. Essentially, well being, happiness, high virtue, and right moral action is the epitome of ethical practice and life (Plato Excerpt: The Theory of Ideas: The Allegory of the Cave). Ultimately, Plato and Thucydides differ in the sense that Thucydides focuses on a narrower subject, whereas Plato takes on a broader perspective of human nature in a bigger context.

2. One major component that emerged during the early period of Greek history was the focus on individualism. As opposed to the usual emphasis on wealth and power, ancient Greece began to shift its focus towards the individual’s cultivation of honor and glory. One’s reputation, respect from others, and acquired admiration served as the most coveted treasure of the time, creating a culture rooted in individual success and prominence (Herbst video, Wk 6 “Greek Epic”, 3:21). For example, ancient Greece’s highly competitive nature is reflected by its religious festivals that encompass events for athletes to earn honor and glory (Herbst video, Wk 6 “Religion and History”, 1:22). Plato also expands on this concept, describing how the spiritual component of the soul seeks to do good things to earn the favor and respect of others. In essence, many outwardly good deeds are deeply rooted in selfish ambitions to promote one’s honor and glory in a society that places such emphasis on reputation (Herbst video, Wk 6. “Plato and the Soul” 4:06). This individualistic Greek culture naturally influenced society’s moral code and the expression of art. Nudity in the public and art became more commonly accepted and praised, signifying a break between the traditional moral codes of society and transition into the individual’s freedom. Individualism was exalted as sculptures of naked men and women were intentionally shaped to depict reality over ideality, thus further celebrating the individual (WTWA Ch 5, p.192). The core value of individualism within Greek society expanded out to every other aspect of life, thus impacting and shaping society’s views on politics, the economy, social values, and religion. As we continue to learn about Greek history, we witness more and more elements of its culture that are built upon the individualistic foundation at its core.

3. Greek culture and history shares many parallels with that of the South Asian Vedic society with regards to their interpretation and value of the individual’s soul and journey to “enlightenment”. The Greek disposition focused on humans and their place in both the universe and society, bringing rise to many prominent thinkers and philosophers who attempted to grapple with the idea of harmonious relationships and little to no political corruption/decline (WTWA Ch 5, p.197). Socrates encouraged reflection on ethics and morality, emphasizing the importance of honor and integrity as opposed to wealth and power. He preoccupied his life with the asking of questions to dismantle practical ideas or inherited beliefs in the pursuit of true knowledge and truth, concerning himself with the human experience of virtue, justice, and liberation. Socrates’ searching led to the adopted Greek understanding that not everyone can distinguish right from wrong, and that they only commit immoral actions without the intention to do so. Greek culture focused on separating appearance from reality and engaging in active introspection and contemplation within the soul, which is the spiritual immortal part of us. The body and its desires is what distracts us from the “good life” (Herbst video, Wk 6 “Socrates-Life and Death” 4:10). Plato continued to expand on this concept, breaking down the soul into three compartments – appetitive, spirited, and rational. He believed that matter is flawed and that the body must be controlled for human elevation. This particular Greek school of thought is mirrored through the South Asain Upanishads, who possessed supreme knowledge and explored questions of deep concern (Herbst video, Wk 6 “Plato and the Soul”, 5:34). Similar to the Greek mindset, Upanisads believed that the problems of humanity were found within the heart, which could only be overcome through spiritualization, internationalization, close examination of the soul, and searching for a deeper meaning and liberation. They also believed that physical desires, ego, and fears and ambitions restrict one from finding their true self, or atman, which is the holy and eternal true essence of one’s being. Only through meditation will one reach Braham, which is the ultimate unity between self and reality (Herbst video, Wk 4 “Upanishads” 3:10). The similarities between the two different cultures reveals a common emphasis on reflection and a desire to dig deeper into the human experience. Both the Greek and Vedic emphasis on the exploration of the soul and path to enlightenment, or the good life, emphasizes the cultural similarity between the two societies that shaped its deeper understanding of the individual and their place in the world.

---

Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply

Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?

Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.

Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?

• Plagiarism free papers
• Timely delivery
• Any deadline
• Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
• Subject-relevant academic writer
• Adherence to paper instructions
• Ability to tackle bulk assignments
• Reasonable prices
• 24/7 Customer Support
• Get superb grades consistently

 

Online Academic Help With Different Subjects

Literature

Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.

Finance

Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.

Computer science

Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!

Psychology

While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.

Engineering

Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.

Nursing

In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.

Sociology

Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.

Business

We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!

Statistics

We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.

Law

Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.

What discipline/subjects do you deal in?

We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.

Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?

Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.

What if I don’t like the paper?

There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.

Reasons being:

• When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
• We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.

In the event that you don’t like your paper:

• The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
• We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
• Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.

Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?

Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.

What if the paper is plagiarized?

We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.

When will I get my paper?

You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.

Will anyone find out that I used your services?

We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.

How our Assignment  Help Service Works

1.      Place an order

You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.

2.      Pay for the order

Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.

3.      Track the progress

You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.

4.      Download the paper

The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.

PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!

---